Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 9

Pros:

Compact, lightweight, sharp, good contrast, fast AF, wide aperture

Cons:

For me this is the fast and compact standard prime that was missing in the Micro Four Thirds lens lineup.

There is of course the Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 and optically it's a very good lens. However, the Panasonic is relatively large and heavy (even more so with the large lens hood), it costs more and it does have some optical flaws like soft corners and visible CA.

I hoped that the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 would be a good performer and luckily it is. Wide open at f/1.8 a large central portion of the image is very sharp. Contrast is good too. There is some vignetting and CA, but it's not excessive. I don't see any serious distortion either.

In short, I don't feel the need to stop the lens down for better image quality. When you do stop it down one or two notches, sharpness and contrast get slightly better. Again, I think it's perfectly fine at f/1.8.

Autofocus is swift, silent and dead on. Noting moves externally and I think it's nice that the lens shares a 46mm filter thread with some other lenses for the system.

The build quality is like the Olympus 45mm f/1.8. A large ribbed focus ring, a metal lens mount and a lot of plastic. It doesn't feel fragile and because it's heavier then the 45mm, it feels quite substantial for a lens this size. A plastic lens hood is included.

For me this Olympus 25mm f/1.8 is a very welcome addition to the system. I like it more than the Panasonic 25mm, because it's cheaper, smaller, lighter and the aperture doesn't rattle. In real life image quality is about the same. Highly recommend standard lens!

pmld

Registered: March 2014Posts: 1

Olympus 25mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital review by pmld

Review Date: 3/12/2014

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 8

Pros:

Light - Small - Fast - Sharp - Lens Hood

Cons:

price

I agree with the review done on this page, there are not many on the market relatively accessible and quality options. The Panasonic 25mm 1.4, has a minimal difference in depth of field, it is shorter, but the difference is minimal it does not justify the purchase even if it is 1.4. However Olympus 25mm 1.8 gain for all other specifications, even in size. A good option for those looking for a 25mm AF lens for MFT. No regrets.